Karate for seniors: start at 50, 60 and beyond, at your own pace

Kyokushin karate is a practice for life. Here is what it offers you, from the very first weeks:

• A complete art to learn. Stances, punches and kicks, blocks, footwork and kata: enough to learn and refine for years.
• Visible progress. Each belt marks a step forward: you always know what you are working on and what comes next. Kyokushin karate belts gives the order.
• A group. You train with the other adults, in the same line, from the opening bow to the closing one.
• A spirit. The Dojo Kun, the dojo’s principles, is part of the first grading. And Masutatsu Ōyama, the founder of Kyokushin karate, summed it up in one sentence: “The true victory is victory over oneself.” Your only yardstick is you: what you can do today, compared with what you could do yesterday.

The first year follows the WKO Shinkyokushinkai first-year textbook. The first grading covers the basic stances (heiko dachi, zenkutsu dachi, kumite dachi, seiza), the first punching combinations, the first kicks and blocks, footwork (ido geiko), two first kata — Taikyoku sono ichi and Sokugi Taikyoku sono ichi — and the Dojo Kun. You present each grade when you are ready, at your own pace: what counts is what you can do.

Before your first class, introduce yourself to the instructor: talk about your goals, your fitness and any old injuries, so they can guide you well from day one. Conditioning and flexibility exercises have an adapted version, which the instructor suggests. Kumite, supervised sparring, comes later, at the instructor’s invitation, and remains your choice — What is Kyokushin kumite? explains how it is introduced, step by step. Everything else you do with the group: the bow, the basic techniques repeated together, the footwork, the kata.

For any health question, your doctor is the right person to ask; and Starting Kyokushin after 40 gives pointers on recovery between classes.

The dojo is at 550 chemin du Golf, suite 010, on Nuns’ Island (Verdun). Suite 010 is on the lower level; access is by stairs. Adult classes run five days a week: the schedule gives the times, the pricing page the adult monthly rate. Our classes run in both languages, which is why this site exists in four. For the first class, comfortable clothes and a bottle of water are all you need — what to bring to your first class has the list. And to compare with other activities, Choosing a sport after 60 suggests the right questions to ask.

The simplest way is to come: a free trial class in an adult group, to discover the dojo, meet the instructor and try at your own pace. Would you rather talk first? Call the dojo at 514-756-0984: we will be happy to answer your questions.